Extra flu clinics for children across East Berkshire

22/12/2017

Extra flu clinics for children to receive their free nasal spray in East Berkshire will take place early next month.

The first clinic will take place at Upton Hospital, Slough, on Friday 5 January, followed by a second clinic at King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor on Monday 8 January. The third clinic will be held at Skimped Hill Health Centre on Tuesday 9 January.

To book into one of these clinics, please call 01753 636 799 or email bks-tr.SchoolimmunisationTeam@nhs.net

Thousands of children, aged 2-8, have already received their free nasal spray to protect them and others by having the vaccination at school or by visiting their GP. However, others are yet to receive theirs and the extra clinics will provide the ideal opportunity for parents to bring along their children, who are in school year Reception to year 4 of primary school or children who attend a special educational needs school, to be vaccinated.The vaccination is free and painless. It is not an injection, but a quick and easy nasal spray.

Flu can be a very unpleasant illness in children causing fever, stuffy nose, dry cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints, and extreme tiredness. This can often last several days. Some children can get a very high fever, sometimes without the usual flu symptoms, and may need to go to hospital for treatment. Serious complications of flu include a painful ear infection, acute bronchitis, and pneumonia.East Berkshire's Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) Associate Director of Nursing, Quality and Safety, Jo Greengrass said: "It is important that we protect young children from the flu virus in time for winter by getting them vaccinated now.

"Children can become very poorly if they catch flu impacting on the wider family, as parents/carers may have to take time off work to look after them.

"Protecting your child can also stop flu spreading to other children and the family, especially babies and grandparents, who may be at higher risk from flu."

It is important to get your child vaccinated even if they had the flu vaccination last year. The flu vaccine provides protection against the strains of flu that are likely to circulate this year and which may be different from last year.

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